Richard Vaux

Richard Vaux (December 19, 1816-March 22, 1895) was an American politician. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Richard Vaux was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 19, 1816. He was educated by private tutors at the Friends Select School in Philadelphia and Bolmar’s French School in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in Philadelphia in 1837. He served as secretary of legation under Andrew Stevenson, United States Minister to Great Britain, for one year. He returned to Philadelphia in 1839.

He was a member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives in 1839, and a delegate to the Democratic State convention in 1840. He commenced the practice of law in Philadelphia in 1840. He served as recorder of deeds of Philadelphia from 1842 to 1849. He was appointed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania as Inspector of the State Penitentiary for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 1842, and served as secretary and later as president of the board of inspectors until his death. An unsuccessful candidate for Mayor of Philadelphia in 1842, 1845, and 1854, he was elected in 1856. He was a member of the Board of City Trusts 1859-1866, serving as president 1863-1865.

He was elected in 1890 as a Democrat to the 51st Congress to fill the vacancy left by the death of Samuel J. Randall and served from May 20, 1890 to March 3, 1891. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1890.

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Preceded by: Robert Thomas Conrad	Mayor of Philadelphia 1856-1858	Succeeded by: Alexander Henry
Preceded by: Samuel J. Randall	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district 1890-1891	Succeeded by: William McAleer